By Asia Nail
The Truth Reporter
When people think of school, they often picture grades on a paper or letters on a report card. But just like a person can’t be summed up in a single snapshot, neither can an entire school district. Imagine judging someone’s whole life by one photo, you’d miss the laughter, the struggles, the hard work and the triumphs. That’s how Toledo Public Schools (TPS) leaders feel about the state-issued report card.
Recently, TPS released its own version of a report card to give parents and the community a full picture of what’s happening in classrooms, hallways and graduation stages across the city. I spoke with Jim Gault, chief academic officer for TPS, who has served the district for 28 years.
He began as a teacher at the former Mount Vernon Elementary and progressed through the ranks to assistant principal, then principal and now district leader. His tenure gives him a broad, informed perspective on how far TPS has come.
“We’re trying to tell what we think is the real story,” shares Gault. “Our test scores last year compared to the state were the highest they’ve been in a decade. Our graduation rate has risen from around 60 percent to nearly 80 percent. That’s not just a statistic—it’s thousands of students crossing the stage with real opportunities and the potential to build extraordinary lives.”
A State Report Card’s Limitations
The Ohio Department of Education reports an annual Scorecard grouping scores in categories ranging from Achievement to Progress and Graduation Rate. Surprisingly the report card for 2021 rated Toledo Public Schools (TPS) “Not Reported” on almost all counts. The reason? Approximately 4,000 students, more than a tenth of the district’s enrollment, opted out of testing that year because of the pandemic. Under state rules, any student who is not tested is counted as a zero.
It’s like judging a basketball game when half the team never showed up on the court to play—you can’t honestly say the score reflects all the players’ skills.
“The state numbers don’t really capture the full picture,” Gault emphasizes. “We’re proud that when students graduate from Toledo Public Schools, they’re ready, whether that’s college, the workforce or the military. Not all states have report cards reflecting this kind of readiness.”
A Graduation Rate on the Rise
One of TPS’s proudest accomplishments is its steady climb in graduation rates. A decade ago, less than 60 percent of students were earning diplomas. Today, that figure has soared to over 80 percent, a dramatic jump that now ranks TPS second among Ohio’s eight largest urban districts.
Behind those numbers are big changes. Superintendent Romules Durant, EdD, made both graduation and college-and-career readiness his top priorities. TPS also continues developing magnet schools and increasing students’ opportunities for college credit while simultaneously building strong Career Technology Education (CTE) programs.
“Fifty-five percent of our graduates last year earned college credit, an industry credential or scores showing they were ready for the work in college,” Gault says. “That’s a huge deal. It means that these young people are not just graduating; they’re ready for what’s next.”
Career Tech: Creating Pathways to the ‘Real World’
Think of Career Tech like a bridge—students step onto it in high school, and by the time they reach the other side, they’ve crossed into real opportunities.
If the graduation rate is the heart of TPS’s academic success, then Career Tech is its strong right arm. With over 2,200 participating students, about 10 percent of the district’s enrollment, CTE options include everything from health care to construction to business technology.
Students on this path graduate with an average 91 percent graduation rate, and 96 percent go on to gainful employment, the military or college. Some even go on to full apprenticeships and are hired directly by the companies they trained with.
TPS Report Card
“It’s about creating pathways for kids,” Gault said. “We want them to make a viable wage and be contributing members of society. At the same time, we’re helping our industry partners by preparing the workforce they need.”
Lessons from the Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic hit schools like a storm no one saw coming. But it forced TPS to rethink and innovate, Gault says. One example is the Virtual Academy, which now serves more than 800 students who learn best in an online environment.
“A lot of students felt isolated at the time,” shares Gault. “So we created social-emotional teams at all our high schools to support them.”
Another notable change? From now on, there are no more cell phones in school during the day. “This has been incredibly helpful,” he notes. “Students are interacting with each other more. They’re looking up instead of down.”
As you might expect, not all lessons were positive. Attendance took a hit during the pandemic, and TPS is still working to rebuild habits of consistent school attendance. Missing class, even just a few days here and there, adds up like missing bricks in a wall, it weakens the whole structure. To address this, TPS launched an attendance initiative aimed at getting students back in class every day.
Measuring What Matters
So how does TPS measure success beyond the state’s narrow lens? Gault identifies three key areas:
- Improved test scores. Last year, TPS saw a 2.5 point increase.
- Graduation outcomes. The district has grown its graduation rate four years in a row.
- College and career readiness. More than half of graduates earn college credits or credentials while still in high school.
Those numbers are simply overwhelming but the people attached to those numbers are even more overwhelming! Gault stresses that TPS serves a uniquely diverse student body: 21,000 children, 98 percent of whom are economically disadvantaged. The district also educates 1,800 homeless students, 450 in foster care, 23 percent with special needs, and over 500 English learners.
“We want our community to realize that we are not just numbers,” he points out. “We are dedicated to serving every segment of this population. Our commitment is to make sure all of our students graduate college and career ready.
Support Systems That Catch Kids Early
Central to TPS’s student success strategy has been building safety nets for students who stumble. Early warning systems flag those at risk of falling behind. To help them stay on track, education credit recovery programs offer free after-school and summer opportunities to catch up.
“Not everybody walks the same path,” Gault adds. “A student may struggle at first, but that doesn’t mean they have to end that way. We want to give kids the chance to get back on track.”
This flexible approach recognizes that learning isn’t one-size-fits-all. It’s more like a road trip: students may hit detours, potholes, or wrong turns, but with guidance, they eventually reach their destination.
Looking Ahead
When asked what he hopes the community takes away from TPS’s self-published report card, Gault’s answer is simple: “Being ‘TPS Proud’ is more than a letter grade. We have great stories to share in Toledo Public Schools.”
Those stories include a steady rise in graduates, industry-ready students stepping into jobs, and young people who overcame pandemic setbacks to find new ways to learn.
A report card may offer a snapshot, but it can’t hold the sound of a classroom buzzing with questions, or the sight of a student holding the first college acceptance letter in their family. It misses the teacher who stays after hours, the bus driver who learns every child’s name, the small triumphs that never make it into the data.
TPS isn’t claiming perfection. Like any large system, it faces challenges with attendance, equity, and meeting the needs of every child. Still, leaders like Gault remain determined to show that progress is happening, even if the state’s numbers don’t always capture it.
“Every student who walks across that stage deserves to be prepared for the workforce or their next adventure in life,” That’s our true measure of success.”
Learn more about Toledo Public Schools at TPS.org